1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a magnetic resonance apparatus of the type having an examination volume for the acceptance of a human to be examined with the magnetic resonance apparatus, magnet systems for generating a basic magnetic field and gradient fields, a transmission arrangement with at least one transmission coil for generating a radiofrequency excitation field and a reception arrangement for acquiring a magnetic resonance signal, the reception arrangement having at least one first local coil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic resonance apparatuses are well known as described, for example, in the textbook, “Bildgebende System für die medizinische Diagnostik”, 3rd Edition, 1995, Publicis MCD Verlag, pages 501 through 503.
German OS 33 23 657 discloses a magnetic resonance apparatus having an examination volume for the acceptance of a human to be examined with the magnetic resonance apparatus, magnet systems for generating a basic magnetic field and gradient fields, as well as a transmission/reception arrangement having a transmission/reception coil for generating a radio-frequency excitation field and for acquiring a magnetic resonance signal, wherein the coil geometry can be set and the coil can be moved toward the human from a remote position.
In medical magnetic resonance examinations of a human, the reception coil for the magnetic resonance echoes should be positioned as closely as possible to the patient in order to assure an optimum signal-to-noise ratio. Dependent on the type of examination and the body region examined, different reception coils adapted to the objective are required for this purpose. Coils referred to as local coils are employed for the reception, these being placed onto the person, or being applied to the person. So that the position of the local coils is unambiguous, the local coils are even partially fixed to the person. In practice, relatively large parts of the person are thereby covered by such local coils. This impedes the application of other examination elements (for example electrodes for ECG and the like). Additionally, many patients feel themselves constricted as a result of such coverage. In an extreme case, this can lead to the fact that the patients refuse the examination.